Apparatus for laterally deflecting articles

Abstract

Apparatus for laterally deflecting articles, such as bottles, from the normal path of a series of such articles, on the basis of a predetermined criterion, such as size or shape. The apparatus may be in the form of extensors which operate transversely to the direction of travel of the articles, in such manner that at any given moment only those extensors are extended which contact the article then being deflected.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for laterally deflecting specific articles selected with respect to one criterion from a first conveyor means to a second conveyor means for the deflected articles, said apparatus comprising: (a) deflecting segments each having an oblique working face, said segments being (i) stationary in the direction of advance of said articles to be deflected;   (ii) extensible and retractable in such a manner that the working faces of individual segments are flush with the working faces of the preceding segments and together form a deflecting surface leading from said first conveyor means to said second conveyor means; and   (iii) the width of each segment being less than about one-half of the sum of the dimension of the articles in the direction of advance and their distances from each other;     (b) operating means which operate on the individual segments to extend and retract them;   (c) detecting means which generate control signals each time an article passes the same; and   (d) delay means which delay the control signals in response to the velocity of said conveyor means, the distance between said detecting means and each of said individual deflecting segments, and the reaction time and the extending and retracting time of said segments, whereby at any given point in time only those segments are extended or will be extended which at this point in time or immediately thereafter are necessary for deflecting an article, and whereby said segments do not move at the time an article which is to be deflected is contacting said segments.   
     
     
       2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said segments (18n) comprise a plurality of horizontal fingers (22) mounted to a vertical bar (20), the length of said fingers exceeding the length of the path of segment extension. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the extension of the segments is a translational movement. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the extension of the segments is a rotational movement. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, and 4, wherein said segments (18n; 58n) are retracted and extended by means of double-acting cylinders (26) having pistons (25) said pistons being held in their end positions by pressure fluid against the force of springs (29) and being further accelerated by said springs (29) during retraction and extension, respectively. 
     
     
       6. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3 and 4, comprising at least one sensing and control means (light barriers 34 and 35) deriving a "free" signal for each deflecting means from an article of the group to activate the respective segment immediately before the article to be deflected reaches said deflecting means, and a "retract" command to inactivate said deflecting means when the article being deflected leaves said deflecting means. 
     
     
       7. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising at least one sensing and control means (light barriers 34 and 35) deriving a "free" signal from each article for each deflecting means by which signal said deflecting means is or remains activated if the next succeding article is also to be deflected, and deriving from each article for each deflecting means a "retract" command by which said deflecting means is inactivated unless said article is to be deflected. 
     
     
       8. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7, wherein said second conveyor means is a rotary star-type conveyor.